Dear Mr. Kaepernick…

My name is Amber and I’m a military wife. A few months ago, we packed up our house where my two daughters, ages 2 and 4, have spent their entire lives… The time had come for our fourth PCS with orders to Italy, so we packed up and moved our whole family overseas. In the short time we have been here, we have found a new home, we’re making new friends, and trying to make the best of our new life (which isn’t hard because, well, we are living in Italy!!)

As much as we prepared for life in a new country, nothing could’ve prepared me for the day my husband came home from his SECOND day at work with orders to deploy for 6 months.

Do you know we hadn’t even moved into our house yet?

Do you know it had been two months since any of us had slept in our own beds?

I don’t know if you have children, but a move like that sure does wreak havoc on a toddler’s love of routine. It was unexpected, to say the least, but that is exactly how military life goes. Nothing goes as planned, you just learn to play the hand you are dealt.

We finally moved into our new home, and just two weeks later, we kissed and hugged our hero goodbye. My children had to leave everything they knew and loved in North Carolina, only to be dumped in a foreign country and then ripped from their father immediately. This is their first deployment. Every single thing they have ever known has changed and I’m left to make sense of it all, and do it alone, at that.

Life is hard, but this life is harder. It isn’t fair, but it doesn’t matter what I want or what my children want. When they say “go”, he goes.

He doesn’t complain.

He doesn’t sit down, throw a tantrum, and cry.

He stands tall with honor.

He goes out there and fights the fight, so you don’t have to.

He works sun up to sun down until the mission is complete.

He will lay down his life for the very country you refuse to stand for.

He will miss out on every single one of our birthdays, his girls’ first day of school, and every holiday this year, so that you can have the freedom to SIT and disrespect not only our country, but every single military member, past and present, and their families who put country before self.

I could whine and complain about this life because it is anything but easy, but I don’t because I’m honored to stand beside a man who puts his country first. All of the nights spent alone, waiting by the phone, explaining why daddy isn’t home 100 times a day to our kids, is worth it.

There is meaning and honor in what he chooses to do, and I’m honored to support him.

I refuse to remain silent and allow you to use your position to disrespect the men and women of our military.

Mr. Kaepernick, you have the right to sit down during our nation’s anthem, but do not forget WHY you have that right to begin with. God Bless.

Sincerely,

A Proud Air Force Wife

**Military Spouse Magazine is sharing this story simply in order to create discussion and allow our unified community to discuss relevant world issues together – we in no way take a vocal stance one way or another on this issue.